Farm Day displays animals, tractors

One-year-old Nichola Maynard giggled as goats, ducks, bunnies and other friendly animals wandered around her at a petting zoo Saturday afternoon.

"She was enjoying it - babbling and giggling and having a great time," her mother, Amanda Maynard of Hagerstown, said. "She petted the pig. You should have seen the look on her face."

Other children chased, fed and tried to pick up the animals that waddled and jumped, lapped up water from buckets and chomped on bales of hay.

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The petting zoo was part of the 2nd Annual Farm Day at Ravenwood Lutheran Village in Hagerstown.

The event was started last year by former Lutheran Village chaplain Wayne Schwanke, who was a member of the Potomac and Shenandoah Antique Tractor and Engine Club, said Gail Snyder, activities director at Ravenwood's Assisted Living facility. Schwanke had asked the group to provide some antique displays for a day, she said.

"They said yes, they would, and we just started adding stuff to it," Snyder said.

The free three-hour event attracted residents of Ravenwood, employees and their families and members of the public.

"It's just a nice chance for us to do a community service event and to make something available to the community," said Jodi Murphy, administrator of the village's Nursing Care Center.

"It benefits our residents too, because they not only love having animals here, but they love to see the children, too," Snyder said.

In addition to the petting zoo, Farm Day included a miniature horse show, children's races, balloons by Jim Greer - known as "Jim the Plain Clothes Clown" - food and refreshments and music by the Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band.

The Humane Society of Washington County set up an adoption information booth.

Snyder and Murphy said they were pleased with Farm Day's turnout.

"Undoubtedly, we got more people here than last year, and they're staying longer," Snyder said.

Melissa Roof's children, Wyatt, 2, and Garrett, 5, climbed on and pretended to drive antique tractors that were on display.

Roof said she found out about Farm Day by word-of-mouth and through an ad in the newspaper.

"I saw that there were going to be animals and tractors, which my son loves," she said.

But Roof said her favorite part of the day was listening to Stoney Creek.

"I think the bluegrass band is really good," she said. "I think it's a nice little event. It's nice and small, not too big, and you can get around."